health care

Measles is highly contagious, and it produces fever and rash in susceptible people who become infected.

Health & Safety

Why A Court Once Ordered Kids Vaccinated Against Their Parents' Will

8:14pm February 21, 2015

by Anders Kelto

Measles infected hundreds of children at a Philadelphia church whose members didn't believe in modern medicine. In a rare step, health officials moved to compel the families to vaccinate the kids.

Queue Listen Now

A particularly nasty family of gut bacteria with the nickname CRE is resistant even to carbapenems, a family of last-resort antibiotics.

Why California's Superbug Outbreak Isn't As Scary As It Seems

5:49pm February 20, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

The outbreak of drug-thwarting bacteria that contributed to the deaths of two patients at a UCLA hospital isn't likely to spread further, doctors say. Still, drug resistance is trouble nationwide.

UCLA Outbreak Highlights Challenge Of Curbing Infections

3:19pm February 20, 2015

by Jordan Rau

The lethal bacteria that sickened people at a Los Angeles hospital belong to one of three types the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hospitals should most urgently monitor and prevent.

Administration Grants Tax Time Reprieve For Obamacare Procrastinators

2:02pm February 20, 2015

by Phil Galewitz

There will be a special insurance enrollment period from March 15 to April 30 for people to use HealthCare.gov if they discover they owe a penalty for not having coverage when filling out their taxes.

Health & Safety

Humana Discloses Widening Justice Dept. Probe Of Medicare Advantage Plans

1:37pm February 19, 2015

by Fred Schulte

Privately run Medicare Advantage plans offer seniors an alternative to standard Medicare. The plans are paid monthly fees based on complex risk formulas that are drawing federal scrutiny.

Figuring Out If A Doctor Is In Your Network Can Be Perplexing

8:36am February 19, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

Some physicians can be in-network when working at one office but not when they are at another. Or they may belong to a medical group that is affiliated with your plan, but they don't participate.

Medical Park Hospital's patients tend to be pretty happy customers, leading to thousands of dollars in rewards from Medicare.

Satisfied Patients Now Make Hospitals Richer, But Is That Fair?

7:52pm February 18, 2015

by Michael Tomsic

The Affordable Care Act made sure that hospitals scoring well on patient satisfaction surveys are paid more by Medicare. But some say that gives small, boutique hospitals an unfair edge.

Queue Listen Now

Under the Affordable Care Act, pregnancy isn't considered a "qualifying event" that justifies enrollment at any time.

Pregnant And Uninsured? Don't Count On Obamacare Coverage

3:58pm February 18, 2015

by Phil Galewitz

Women who get pregnant and don't have health insurance can't sign up outside open enrollment until after they give birth. Advocates say that puts mother and child at risk of serious health problems.

A federal grand jury in West Palm Beach, Fla., indicted Dr. Isaac Kojo Anakwah Thompson on eight counts of health care fraud last week.

Fraud Case Casts Spotlight On Medicare Advantage Plans

12:45pm February 16, 2015

by Fred Schulte

An indictment in Florida is likely to draw heightened scrutiny to potential billing fraud in privately run Medicare plans. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of government oversight.

Covered California may extend the enrollment deadline for health coverage far beyond Feb. 15.

California Health Exchange Considers Extending Enrollment For Some

9:58am February 13, 2015

by Lisa Aliferis

Plenty of uninsured people will discover they owe a penalty as they file their taxes over the next two months, and will also learn they could be locked out of buying insurance to solve the problem.